| Panoramic digital photos cover a wide angle of | | | | series and later on stitch them together. When |
| view. In its extreme a panoramic photo can cover | | | | put in panoramic mode the camera will first let |
| 360 degrees of view. Such panoramic photos are | | | | you choose if you plan to take a horizontal |
| for example taken from a sky scraper to convey | | | | panoramic photo (i.e. taking photos from left to |
| the view it provides. Most new digital cameras | | | | right or right to left while keeping the vertical |
| provide a panoramic mode that supports such | | | | position fixed) or to take a vertical panoramic |
| photography. | | | | photo (i.e. taking the photos from bottom to top |
| There is no formal or definitive definition of what | | | | or top to bottom while keeping the horizontal |
| a panoramic photo is. It is common practice to | | | | position fixed). You can also choose a combination. |
| define panoramic photos as such that cover a | | | | After you choose the panoramic mode - the |
| wide angle of view. How wide? A common | | | | camera will let you start taking the photos. On its |
| definition is "wider than our eyes can see" - or in | | | | LCD screen you would always see the previous |
| other worlds - provide an artificial view that | | | | photo you took and the new photo you are |
| otherwise we could not have gotten by just | | | | taking. This allows you to easily compose each |
| looking at the scene (without moving our head | | | | photo in a way that it complements the previous |
| left and right or up and down of course). | | | | one. You would also want to make sure the |
| Panoramic digital photos can be taken in a single | | | | photo overlaps a bit with the previous photo - this |
| shot using special panoramic wide angle lenses. | | | | allows for easier photo stitching later on. The |
| This technique is limited of course as for example | | | | camera also names the digital photos files in a |
| a 360 degree panoramic photo can not be taken | | | | special format that further helps stitching. |
| this way. | | | | Photo stitching can be easily done on a computer |
| Another way in which panoramic photos are | | | | at home. Many digital cameras come with a photo |
| created is in segments - a few photos are taken | | | | stitching software. If your digital camera did not |
| in series and are later attached to each other to | | | | come with one you can find either free or low |
| create one big panoramic photo. The process of | | | | priced commercial software that can stitch single |
| attaching the photos together is fast and easy | | | | photos. Basically what the photo stitching |
| thanks to modern digital photo processing | | | | software does is: based on the photo file names it |
| software (as long as you're following some | | | | orders the photos in their right order. Then it |
| guidelines when taking the photos). Panoramic | | | | identifies the overlapping areas in each pair of |
| photos are not limited to capturing landscape or | | | | photos and places the photos in a way that these |
| wide angle view. They can be very useful when | | | | overlapping areas match (this is why having a bit |
| capturing objects that are just too big to be | | | | of overlap is important). The final step is to attach |
| captured from where you stand. For example if | | | | all those pairs of files and create a single |
| you are standing too close to a tall tower and can | | | | panoramic digital photo. |
| not retreat to a farther position - using panoramic | | | | It is a good practice to use a tripod when taking |
| photography will enable you to capture the | | | | panoramic photos. A tripod will help you |
| complete tower (in 2 or more shots). | | | | maintaining either a fixed horizontal or a fixed |
| Most digital cameras support a special panoramic | | | | vertical position. Also it is good practice to keep |
| mode. In this mode the camera optimizes its | | | | the optical settings fixed between shots and to |
| optical settings for panoramic wide angle | | | | make sure that the lighting stays the same. As |
| photography. But more than just setting the | | | | always practice makes perfect - go and |
| optical parameters the camera also provides tools | | | | experiment with panoramic photography and |
| that allow you to more easily take the photos | | | | master your digital camera panoramic mode. |